Camp-Meeting in Daviess Co., Mo.
By Geo. I. Butler
THIS meeting was not so large as the one held in the southern part of the State. Nineteen tents were pitched, including the large one, and upwards of one hundred and fifty camped upon the ground. Some were disappointed in not seeing Bro. and Sr. White. Bro. Rogers was the only minister of the Conference who attended. Bro. Hollenbeck, who was on his way back to Iowa, was present, and helped much in the singing and otherwise. Bro. Farnsworth labored earnestly and acceptably for the interest of the meeting. Most of those present took hold well, and received the blessing of Heaven. The Lord helped in the preaching, and truth was presented which will be a savor of life unto life, or of death unto death, to those who heard it. On Sunday a large crowd was present, but a storm in the afternoon broke up the interest of the meeting very much. I gave two discourses on the health and temperance question, which were well received by nearly all. Sunday morning we obtained one hundred and fourteen signers to the teetotal pledge, which was full as high a percentage of those present as at the southern meeting. We regretted that some of our leading brethren would not cast their influence with us in favor of this movement. We also made special efforts to present the subject of s. B. before the brethren; and after preaching on the subject, we circulated a paper to which a large number subscribed, sacredly pledging a tithe of their income to God. But some of our leading brethren were as loth to take part in this enterprise as they were to act on the temperance question. What a sad commentary upon the effect of worldly wealth on the minds of those who profess the truth, that it is so difficult to get those who are well off to pledge a tithe of their income to God; while those who are comparatively poor are nearly always willing to do so. But I find this is apt to be the case. We had an interesting Sabbath-school, which was superintended by Bro. Farnsworth. We also had a meeting for the purpose of considering the subject of education, and our College at Battle Creek. I had freedom in speaking upon the importance of improving the mind, and of preserving it in the best condition to render life useful. We must create a love for education among our people, where it does not already exist. We want the youth among us to be capable of reasoning correctly, being well posted in all true science, and above all, in God's holy truth. How can this work be accomplished without such a school as ours? Our meeting closed Tuesday morning; the most of us feeling in the best of spirits. May God bless the cause in Missouri.